Mr. Speaker, Albertans are very grateful for the energy boom that we are experiencing. We are happy to share the benefits with our fellow Canadians. While some individuals, even some in this House, are clamouring for more, I would like to point out how magnificently all Canadians are benefiting.

All Canadians through the federal government are the largest benefactors. Just think of the truckloads of money that go to Ottawa every payday for EI and CP premiums. Just think of the train loads of money which go to Ottawa as a result of the income tax deductions from thousands of workers and professionals. Add to that the huge amount of tax that is paid by businesses and corporations. I estimate that Ottawa gets between two and three times as much as Alberta.

Besides that, the spinoffs for businesses right across the country are huge. For example, the demand that is generated for vehicles and other manufactured goods coming from Ontario, Quebec and the other provinces goes well into the billions.

Let us celebrate Alberta's success together. Let us all be grateful for the economic prosperity it generates for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute today to the memory of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville.

Next July 2 to 15, the University of Havana in Cuba, in collaboration with the Université du Québec à Montréal, will be organizing festivities in Havana to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville.

He was the great hero of New France—adventurer, shipmaster, privateer and first governor of Louisiana—who died in Havana on July 9, 1706.

Few people know about the tragic end and mysterious death of this hero in Cuba. The city of Havana remembers. It has honoured the visit of this hero with a major monument and numerous commemorative plaques in its museums and its cathedral.

Mr. Speaker, today is World No Tobacco Day 2006. This is a significant time to remember a Canadian leader in the fight against tobacco.

Heather Crowe worked as a server in the hospitality industry for over 40 years. In 2002 she was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer caused by the second-hand smoke she was exposed to at work. She never smoked a day in her life.

Like many hospitality workers, Heather did not know that second-hand smoke was putting her health at risk. When she discovered the cause of her cancer, she dedicated enormous strength and energy to protecting others. Despite her illness, Heather lobbied politicians, spoke to schools and communities across the country, and appeared in a Health Canada advertisement to raise awareness about the dangers of second-hand smoke.

Heather lost her fight against cancer last Monday. She once said that her goal was to be the last person to die from second-hand smoke. Thanks to her, thousands of hospitality workers across the country now have a safer workplace.

I ask all members to join me in remembering her tireless advocacy and activism.

Number 12, stalling progress on aboriginal issues by snubbing the aboriginal affairs committee.

Number 13, stalling the implementation of the residential schools agreement.

Number 14, reneging on his election promise to include the Métis in the residential schools agreement.

Number 15, undermining the procurement strategy for aboriginal business by allowing non-native companies to bid on contracts.

Number 16, refusing to uphold $400 million in extra funding for water treatment on reserves.

Number 17, announcing its own first nations water strategy with not one dollar attached to it.

Number 18, insulting aboriginal groups by ignoring their work at creating an independent first nations auditor general.

Number 19, scrapping $1.8 billion for aboriginal education programs.

Number 20, completely ignoring Canada's north by neglecting to implement the Liberals' northern strategy, and breaking the Conservatives' own promise to the north by cancelling icebreakers in deep water ports.

Mr. Speaker, World No Tobacco Day was created by the World Health Organization. It aims to draw global attention to the negative health effects of tobacco use. This year's theme is “Tobacco: Deadly in any form or disguise”.

I am proud to say that Canada has always been a world leader in tobacco control. Over the past 40 years, the percentage of Canadian smokers has been reduced to 20%, its lowest point in 50 years.

Provincial governments continue to enact smoke-free legislation. World No Tobacco Day marks the addition of Ontario and Quebec to the growing number of provinces and territories that are restricting smoking in public places.

Despite the great progress we have made this year, smoking continues to be the number one preventable cause of disease and premature death in Canada, responsible for more than 37,000 premature deaths annually.

For more information on Health Canada's tobacco control program or for tools to help quit smoking, I ask Canadians to please visit www.gosmokefree.ca.

Mr. Speaker, today is World No-Tobacco Day 2006, sponsored by the World Health Organization. The purpose of this day is to encourage governments to move toward stricter regulation of tobacco products.

Smoking is a global epidemic which is claiming more and more lives all over the world, particularly in developing countries. It is said that tobacco is still the only legal product that kills, when consumed as intended by the manufacturer.

Everything possible must be done to put a stop to this scourge which is the cause of some 13,000 deaths per year in Quebec alone.

This year, World No-Tobacco Day is of particular significance in Quebec for it coincides with the coming into force of certain amendments to the Tobacco Act. As of today, smoking is prohibited in the great majority of public places in Quebec, including all bars and restaurants. These measures will protect the population from smoking and from exposure to second-hand smoke.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to convey my great appreciation for the citizens of Yellowhead in the battle against crystal meth.

When crystal meth first appeared in Alberta, Drayton Valley was one of the communities hardest hit, but instead of sitting by and letting the drug destroy lives, the people of Drayton Valley took action. In a coordinated effort, social services, education providers, local politicians and enforcement officers joined with concerned citizens to provide solutions.

Law enforcement officers were added. The community's officers were brought into a partnership with community mobilizers to conduct prevention programs in schools and in the community. It took a couple of years and a lot of hard work, but Drayton Valley's struggle has become a success story, with Drayton Valley having experienced a marked drop in crystal meth addictions and related crimes.

Its success was so notable that the mayor of Drayton Valley, Diana McQueen, was asked to join the premier's task force on crystal meth. Drayton Valley's success can now be duplicated around the province and across the country. I would like to say good job, Diana, and great job, Drayton Valley.

Mr. Speaker, parents of young children in my riding of Simcoe—Grey want our government's universal child care plan. They want it because our plan recognizes that parents need real and meaningful choices in care for their preschool children.

It is true that day care centres provide a valuable service for many working parents. That is why our plan will provide incentives to encourage business, community and non-profit organizations to create more flexible child care spaces, but parents need other alternatives as well.

In Simcoe—Grey we have a lot of farmers and families who work shift work at Honda and the many other parts plants that serve Honda. Whether parents choose to raise their children at home or get assistance from a relative or another trusted caregiver, our universal child care benefit of $1,200 for every child under six will broaden the options for all Canadian parents.

Mr. Speaker, many people in my riding are very unhappy with the government's actions on climate change and Canada's commitment to the Kyoto protocol.

Daniel Greene of Comox wrote:

I now think of this [Conservative] government as The Great Leap Backward....There is no excuse to walk away from Kyoto and the rest of humanity, instead valuing greed and ignorance.

This is not Canada and by any polls not what Canadians want to see.

Curtis Scoville of Black Creek e-mailed:

This kind of outdated thinking is unacceptable to me personally and is shameful to me as a Canadian citizen in the global effort to promote energy solutions that are safe for the environment and for human health.

Canadians want a government that is willing to protect the environment with real measures, not a fantasy solution and a tax credit. In my riding and across this country, Canadians are more than willing to do their part. I am willing to work with them and my NDP colleagues to propose concrete solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and honour our Kyoto commitments.

Mr. Speaker, on May 22, during the Souper des Patriotes, Jacques Parizeau was awarded the Louis Joseph Papineau prize, which honours a member of Quebec's National Assembly for political action in support of Quebec sovereignty.

Former Quebec premier and a minister many times over, he helped create the quiet revolution and modern-day Quebec. A learned man, he dedicated his talent to one single passion: Quebec.

With uncommon determination and intelligence, he has worked tirelessly to this day to give Quebeckers the only tool that will enable them to express themselves and reach their full potential as a people: national independence.

He constantly reminded us that we must not merely repeat the message, we must renew it. He once said that we should re-examine every premise of the argument. Some ideas will prove more useful, others must be reanalyzed, and many new ideas must be introduced to convince a changing society.

The Bloc Québécois salutes Jacques Parizeau, a great patriot and a great sovereignist.